Illustration of carpenter ant
carpenter ant
noun
: an ant (especially genus Camponotus) that gnaws galleries especially in dead or decaying wood
Examples of carpenter ant in a Sentence
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Identifying Carpenter Ants There are many species of carpenter ants, but those most common in the South are black carpenter ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus), which are a dull black color, and Florida carpenter ants (Camponotus floridanus), which have a black head and a red body, says Oi.
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Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
Not all ants are bad for the garden—some help with soil health and pest control—but fire ants and carpenter ants can be serious nuisances or hazards.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
The fungus that hijacks ants like a ghastly marionette
Penn State
The humble carpenter ant is the unsuspecting victim of this nightmare.
—New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2025
While the essential oils and extracts distilled from citrus peels are effective at repelling insects ranging from carpenter ants to cockroaches, these compounds only work when applied in high concentrations, much higher than what is present in the peel itself.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
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Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
Not all ants are bad for the garden—some help with soil health and pest control—but fire ants and carpenter ants can be serious nuisances or hazards.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
The fungus that hijacks ants like a ghastly marionette
Penn State
The humble carpenter ant is the unsuspecting victim of this nightmare.
—New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2025
While the essential oils and extracts distilled from citrus peels are effective at repelling insects ranging from carpenter ants to cockroaches, these compounds only work when applied in high concentrations, much higher than what is present in the peel itself.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carpenter ant
Cite this Entry
“Carpenter ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carpenter%20ant. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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